Cultural Diplomacy

A. CULTURAL DIPLOMACY

Greece attaches particular
importance to Cultural Diplomacy as a quintessential tool for
approaching peoples and exercising foreign policy. The universality of
Hellenic Culture is connective tissue in the quest for common origins
and historical ties with other countries, while the dialogue of cultures
contributes to international peace and diplomacy. Agreements and
bilateral Educational and Cultural Programmes with third countries are a
fundamental institutional tool. The various cultural events organized
by our Embassies and Consulates in the countries to which they are
accredited contribute in the best possible manner to cultural exchange
and the promotion of all of our country’s forms of classical and modern
culture. On a multilateral level, and particularly in the context of
international organizations, Greek Cultural Diplomacy is aimed at
pointing up, promoting and utilizing a universal value system for
interstate relations.Specifically:

I.
UNESCO framework: The preservation, promotion and utilization of our
rich tangible and intangible cultural heritage, in the context of the
UNESCO Conventions, is a basic tool for exercising Cultural Diplomacy.
Greece is a leader in the fight against trafficking in cultural property
and is in favour of the return of illegally exported cultural property
to countries of origin. Greece was elected to the UNESCO Executive Board
for the period 2015-2019. The choice of our country to serve on the
UNESCO Executive Board reflects Greece’s special weight in the sector of
culture and the standing it has gained through its active participation
and the initiatives it has undertaken in the context of the
Organization. More specifically:

a) UNESCO Intergovernmental
Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries
of Origin or its Restitution in case of Illicit Appropriation (ICPRCP):
The Foreign Ministry, through the Special Legal Service, participates
in the ongoing negotiations with the British side on the issue of the
return of the Parthenon Marbles, which UNESCO has been addressing since
1984, when then Culture Minister Melina Mercouri submitted the Greek
demand to the aforementioned Intergovernmental Committee. Following a
relevant initiative, in 2013, from the Greek Culture Minister, and the
adoption, with strong support from the member states and a relevant
Recommendation from the ICPRCP (October 2014), the British side was
called upon to consider the Greek proposal for the opening of an
official Mediation process. Despite the British side’s negative
reaction, Greece has not ceased pursuing the reuniting of the Parthenon
Marbles by all possible means, calling on the British side to reconsider
its position.

b) Participation in the Subsidiary Committee of
the 1970 UN Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the
Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property,
with the Greek representative holding the position of Rapporteur on the
Bureau of the Committee (2013).

During the third meeting of the
state parties to the 1970 Convention (Paris, 18-20 May 2015), the ‘STOP
ILLICIT TRAFFICKING’ Declaration, a Greek initiative, was adopted
unanimously by the 112 state parties to the Convention present (of a
total of 128 state parties to the Convention). The Declaration
underscores the political will of the state parties to intensify their
efforts to effectively protect the cultural heritage of humanity, with
emphasis on coordinated international actions against trafficking in
cultural property and treasures and monitoring of the art market and
related sales via the Internet (The text of the Declaration is available
at http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/illicit-trafficking-of-cultural-property.).
The Greek initiative was taken the day after the adoption of the
Operational Guidelines for the functioning of the Subsidiary Committee
for the implementation of the Convention, which remained, as is well
known, inactive for over 40 years. In September 2015, the Secretary
General of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, Mrs. Maria
Andreadaki-Blazaki, was chosen unanimously to chair the Subsidiary
Committee in question, with the primary mission of promoting
international coordination against the illegal trafficking of cultural
property, including cultural treasures from war zones in the Middle
East.

c) In December 2013, our country was elected, with the
highest number of votes, to the Intergovernmental Committee that is the
organ of the 2nd Protocol (1999) to the Hague Convention (1954) on the
protection of cultural property in case of an armed conflict. In
December 2014, Greece was elected chair of the Intergovernmental
Committee in question.

II. UN Framework: On Greece’s initiative,
in 2010 the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on the matter of
combatting illegal trafficking and on the return of illegally exported
cultural property to its country of origin. The Greek initiative is now
being co-sponsored by more and more states.

III. Greece’s global
heritage is also highlighted via international events with Ancient Greek
origins, such as the Olympic Games and Marathons, or institutions that
have been internationalized, such as the Greek-inspired “Cultural
Capital of Europe”.

IV. Also to be underscored is the important
role played by civil society, the organizations of which are in a
position to contribute catalytically to the achievement of the
aforementioned goals of Cultural Diplomacy. This is what is known as
“Public Diplomacy”, in which we might include, more specifically,
Educational Diplomacy, an excellent Greek example of which is described
below.

B. EDUCATIONAL DIPLOMACY

The aim
of Educational Diplomacy is to create synergies between culture,
education and economy, attracting a interested members of the public
from abroad, utilizing either educational institutions or the existing
facilities of select Greek agencies located in areas of particular
natural, historical and cultural value (e.g., the European Cultural
Centre of Delphi, the International Olympic Academy, the Athens School
of Fine Arts, the Anargyrios & Korgialenios School of Spetses, the
European Public Law Organization). In this context, the
educational/scientific attendees are hosted for specialized programmes
in a variety of fields (architecture, classical studies, Olympism,
medicine, and so on).

This endeavour, in addition to pointing up
the infrastructure of the agencies with facilities in unique locales of
particular interest and natural beauty, utilizes local civil society
agencies, such as Regions and Chambers of Commerce, promoting
sightseeing and archaeological spaces through corresponding cultural and
development tours.